Coffin-lid



(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. 'M. 82; J'. HOFPMANN.

UOPFIN LID.

No. 538,913. Patented May 7, 1895.

' E1533 5mm MW 2% mi] 204m liaM'w (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. M. M.-&-J. HOFFMANN.

GOPFIN LID.

Patented May '7, 1895.

. vide a look for the shrine, at its outer edge,

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

MATHIAS M. HOFFMANN AND JOHN HOFFMANN, on DUBUQUE, IOWA.

COFFIN-LID.

SiZPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,913, dated May '7, 1895.

Application filed December 26 18 93- To 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MATHIAS M. HOFF- MANN and J OHN HOFFMANN, citizens of the United States, residing at Dubuque, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coffin-Lids; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will on able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to faceplates or shrines for burial-caskets and has for its obect to provide a shrine, which shall be divided at or near its center and folded over both sides in such a manner, that it will be sufficiently strong to resist all ordinary pressure upon the same when in use.

A further object is to so attach the parts of the shrine to the body of the casket, that they may be readily removed, in whole or in part or upon one side of the shrine and not the other; and a still further object is to prothat when the parts of the shrine are folded down on the casket, the outer edge of the shrine will be firmly locked.

These and other minor objects will be fully explained in the following specification and accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in Which- Figure 1 is a top view of a burial-casket, with our improved shrine .closed down and not covered with the finishing-cloth. Fig. 2 is a section of the casket through the lineX X of Fig. 1 with the two parts of the shrine folded over on both sides of the casket. Fig. 3 is a perspective of part of the lock or fastener attached to the outer strips of the shrine. Fig. 4: is an end view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the parts of the lock or fastener attached to the sides of the casket. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the under side of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective of the shrine open and showing the two parts of the lock or fastener united.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in all of the drawings.

A, is the body of a burial-casket and B, and O, are two parts of the shrine. Each part is formed in three pieces, a, b, c, and d, e, f,

Serial No. 494,812. (No model.)

which are hinged to each .other, as shown in Fig. 1. This division into three parts is of great imp0rtance,fron1 the fact, that if it be divided into two parts, it cannot be folded over so as to be convenient for use and if composed of four or more parts, there is difficulty in making it strong enough and of sufficient width on which to make decorations if desired. We therefore prefer to make each part of the shrine in three parts. To the'under side of the strips a, and d, are secured the plates D, D. Upon the outer end of the plate D, is formed the projection E, and at the outer end of E, and integral therewith the clip F, the parts E, and F, forming together a hook, the object of which will presently appear. Upon the upper edge of the sides of the casket are secured the plates G, G, in each of which is cut the T shaped hole 2', through which is inserted the hook E, F. By this mode of construction, it will be seen that when the two parts of the shrine are opened, the hooks will prevent the parts from opening only to a given extent and always retain them in a fixed position, when open, by the clip F, of the hook coming in contact with the under side of the plate G. The plate E, is cut away, leaving the slot K, at its juncture with the plate D,-as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. By this mode of construction, when the shrine is closed down, the slot K, will come on both sides of the plate G, and the part of E, will engage with the under side of the plate G, and effectually lock the outer edge of the shrine and further, one or both of the parts B, and O, can be removed whenever desired. The under side of the plate G, has formed upon it and integral with it, a projection Z, with which the clip F, engages and prevents any lateral movement of the parts of the shrine and further, by such engagement, the projection E, is prevented from removal from the T shaped hole '5, except when in a given position.

In the use of our device, the parts B, and O, are folded back over the sides of the casket, as shown in Fig. 2, the strips Ct, and d, resting upon theedge of the molding on the upper edge of the casket, the strips 19, and e, at right angles to the strips a, and d, and the strips 0, and f, hanging down perpendicularly and preferably resting on the outer edge of the molding. YVe prefer to have the strips Z), and e, somewhat wider than the strips a, and d, and the strips 0, andf, wider than the strips 1), and e, as in that manner the parts of the shrine will sustain pressure upon them, with much less danger of injury, as shown in Fig. 2, on one side. It will be seen that the under sides of the strips a, b, c, and upper sides when folded out, may be made to present a very attractive appearance, by trimming them with white satin or otherwise deccrating them. Again the parts of the shrine may be folded back over the sides of the casket, till such time as the remains in the casket are to be viewed, and then either one or both parts of the shrine may be immediately removed. When the parts of the shrine are closed down the outer edges of the same will be securely locked, as the slot K will embrace the plate G, and a part of the hook E, will impinge against the under side of the plate G and prevent the shrine from being raised at its outer edges.

It is manifest that the mode of construction of our device may be varied and not depart from the spirit of our invention.

Having thus described ourinvention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of a casket, provided on each side thereof with one or more plates G, having the T shaped opening itherein with the lug Z projecting downwardly therefrom, of a lid made in sections hinged together, the outside panels a being provided with plates D, corresponding in number and location to the plates G, each plate D being provided with a projection E, having an integral clip F thereon adapted to engage with the lug Z, the panels being held from lateral movement by such engagement, said panels a when moved to a vertical position resting upon the upper surface of the lid, and a slotK on the projections E, adapted to engage with the inner edges of the plates G when the lid is in a horizontal closed position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MATI-IIAS M. HOFFMANN. JOHN I-IOFFMANN. Witnesses:

JOHN L. BUETTELL, M. M. CADY. 

